The Nativity Of Our Lord. 25 December. The First Mass Of Christmas. At Midnight.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

The Nativity of Our Lord.
   25 December.
   First Mass at Midnight.

Station at Saint Mary Major
   at The Altar of The Crib.

Indulgence of 15 Years and 15 Quarantines.

Double of The First-Class
   with Privileged Octave of The Third Order.

White Vestments.

"The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us".

Illustration: UNA VOCE OF ORANGE COUNTY

Artist: René de Cramer.

“Copyright Brunelmar/Ghent/Belgium”.

Used with Permission.

The Word, begotten from all Eternity by The Father, has raised, into personal union with Himself, The Blessed Fruit of The Virginal Womb of Mary; in other words, the human and Divine natures are joined in Our Lord in the unity of a single Person - The Second Person of The Blessed Trinity.

Further, since when we speak of a son we mean a person, Jesus must be called The Son of God, because, as The Son of God, He is a Divine Person. From this it follows, that Our Lady is called The Mother of God; not that she has begotten The Word, but because from her is derived the humanity that The Word has united to Himself in The Mystery of The Incarnation.

Of this Mystery, the first manifestation to the World was The Birth of Our Lord at Bethlehem [Editor: In Hebrew, Bethlehem means "House of Bread"]. Whence, we see the reason why, every year at Christmas, The Church says "Puer natus est nobis et Filius datus est nobis". "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." [Introit, Alleluia.]

It is The Son of God, God begotten of The Father in the one day of Eternity (Ego hodie genui te), Who is now begotten of The Father as Man in the day of The Incarnation; Ego hodie genui te. "By the taking of the Manhood into God," says Saint Athanasius, The Son of Mary is born to The Divine Life. As it was at Midnight that Our Lady brought her first-born Son into the World and laid Him in a Cradle, so Mass is Celebrated at Midnight in Saint Mary Major, Rome, where the Relics of The Crib are kept.

"With great Devotion," says Saint Leo, "has The Incarnate Word given Himself to win for us the fight against Satan, for not in His Divine Majesty, but in the weakness of our flesh, He waged war against this cruel enemy." [Fifth Lesson.] The Victory which He has gained, in spite of His weakness, shows Him to be God.

It is "God of God, Light of Light," (Credo) Who disperses the darkness of sin. "Christ is The True Light Who comes to enlighten the World, plunged in darkness" (Collect). "By The Mystery of The Word made Flesh," says the Preface, "the light of Thy Glory hath shone anew upon the eyes of our mind; so that, while we acknowledge Him as God seen by men, we may be drawn by Him to the love of things unseen."

"The Grace of God Our Saviour hath appeared to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires . . . that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to Himself a people acceptable, and zealous in good works" (Epistle).

He is made like unto us that we may become like unto Him (Secret), and by His example may be enabled to live a holy life (Postcommunion). Thus, shall we "live soberly, justly, and godly in this World, looking for the Blessed hope and coming of the Glory of The Great God and Our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Epistle).

As we saw in Advent, The First Coming of Our Lord prepares us for the Second Coming.

Mass: Dóminus dixit ad me.
Credo: Is said.
Preface: For Christmas. (This is said each day until The Epiphany, except on
    The Octave of Saint John.)

Beautiful depiction by

Margaret Tarrant.

Illustration: FLICKR

Zephyrinus’s Midnight Mass For Christmas 2019. “Ad Primum Missam In Nocte”.

Illustration: ZEPHYRINUS

It's Nearly Christmas Day !!!

Source: denieuweboekerij.nl

Illustration: PINTEREST

Our Lady, Queen Of The Angels. May The Mother Of God, And Queen Of Heaven, Love And Protect Us All.

Illustration: PINTEREST

Christmas Eve. 24 December.

This Article is taken from, and can be read in full at,

“The Liturgical Year”,
by Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
   Volume 1.
   Advent.

Illustration: UNA VOCE OF ORANGE COUNTY

Artist: René de Cramer.

"Copyright Brunelmar/Ghent/Belgium".

Used with Permission.

“At length,” says Saint Peter Damian, in his Sermon for this Holy Eve, “at length we have come from the stormy sea into the tranquil port; 

hitherto, it was the promise, now, it is the prize; 

hitherto, labour, now rest; 

hitherto, despair, now hope; 

hitherto, the way, now our home.

“The heralds of The Divine Promise came to us; but they gave us nothing but rich promises. Hence, our Psalmist himself grew wearied and slept, and, with a seemingly reproachful tone, thus sings his lamentation to God: “But, Thou hast rejected and despised us; Thou hast deferred the coming of Thy Christ.” [Psalm LXXXVIII].

At another time, he assumes a tone of command and thus Prays: “O, Thou, that sittest upon the Cherubim, show Thyself !” [Ibid. LXXIX].

Christmas Midnight Mass,

Cologne Cathedral, Germany,.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

Seated on Thy High Throne, with myriads of adoring Angels around Thee, look down upon the children of men, who are victims of that sin, which was committed indeed by Adam, but permitted by Thy Justice. Remember what my substance is; [Ibid. LXXXVIII].

Thou didst make it to the likeness of Thine own; for though every living man is vanity, yet inasmuch as he is made to Thy image, he is not a passing vanity [Ibid. XXXVIII].

Bend Thy Heavens and come down, and turn the eyes of Thy Mercy upon us, Thy miserable supplicants, and forget us not unto the end !

Midnight Mass at Saint Stanislaus Church,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin,United States of America.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

“Isaias”, also, in the vehemence of his desire, thus spoke: “For Sion's sake, I will not hold my peace, and, for the sake of Jerusalem, I will not rest, till her Just One come forth as Brightness. Oh !, that Thou wouldst rend The Heavens, and wouldst come down !”.

So, too, all the Prophets, tired of the long delay of the coming, have Prayed to Thee, now with supplication, now with lamentation, and now with cries of impatience. We have listened to these their Prayers; we have made us of them as our own, and, now, nothing can give us joy or gladness, till Our Saviour come to us, and, kissing us with the kiss of His lips, say to us: “I have heard and granted your Prayers.”

“But, what is this that has been said to us: “Sanctify yourselves, O, ye children of Israel, and be ready; for, on the morrow, The Lord will come down” ? We are, then, but one half day and night from the grand visit, the admirable birth of The Infant God !

Hurry on your course, ye fleeting hours, that we may the sooner see The Son of God in His crib, and pay our homage to this world-saving birth. You, brethren, are the children of Israel, that are sanctified and cleansed from every defilement of Soul and body, ready, by your earnest Devotion, for tomorrow's Mysteries.

Such, indeed, your are, if I may judge from the manner in which you have spent these Sacred Days of Preparation for The Coming of your Saviour.

“Bur, if, notwithstanding all your care, some drops of the stream of this life's frailties are still on your hearts, wipe them away and cover them with the Snow-White Robe of Confession. This, I can promise you from the Mercy of The Divine Infant; He that shall confess his sins and be sorry for them, shall have born within him The Light of The World; the darkness that deceived him shall be dispelled; and he shall enjoy the Brightness of The True Light.

For, how can Mercy be denied to the miserable this night, in which the merciful and compassionate Lord is so mercifully born ? Therefore, drive away from you all haughty looks and idle words, and unjust works; let your loins be girt, and your feet walk in the right paths; and then come, and accuse The Lord, if this night He rend not The Heavens, and come down to you, and throw all your sins into the depths of the sea.”

This Holy Eve is, indeed, a Day of Grace and Hope, and we ought to spend it in Spiritual Joy. The Church, contrary to her general practice, prescribes that, if Christmas Eve fall on a Sunday, the Fasting alone shall be Anticipated on The Saturday; but that The Office and Mass of The Vigil should take precedence of The Office and Mass of The Fourth Sunday of Advent.

How Solemn, then, in the eyes of The Church, are these few hours, which separate us from The Great Feast ! On all other Feasts, no matter how great they may be, the Solemnity begins with First Vespers, and, until then, The Church restrains her joy, and Celebrates The Divine Office and Sacrifice according to The Lenten Rite.

Christmas, on the contrary, seems to begin with The Vigil; and one would suppose that this morning's Lauds were the opening of The Feast; for the Solemn Intonation of this portion of The Office is that of a Double, and the Antiphons are sung before and after each Psalm or Canticle.

The Purple Vestments are used at The Mass, but all The Genuflections peculiar to The Advent Ferias are omitted; and only one Collect is said, instead of the three usually said when The Mass is not that of a Solemnity.

Let us enter into the spirit of The Church, and prepare ourselves, in all the joy of our hearts, to meet The Saviour Who is coming to us. Let us observe with strictness the Fast which is prescribed; it will enable our bodies to aid the promptness of our spirit. Let us delight in the thought that, before we again lie down to rest, we shall have seen Him born, in the Solemn Midnight, Who comes to give Light to every creature. For, surely, it is the duty of every Faithful child of The Catholic Church to celebrate with her this Happy Night, when, in spite of all the coldness of Devotion, the whole Universe keeps up its Watch for the arrival of its Saviour.

It is one of the last vestiges of the piety of ancient days, and God forbid it should ever be effaced !

Let us, in a spirit of Prayer, look at the principal portions of The Office of this beautiful Vigil. First, then, The Church makes a mysterious announcement to her children. It serves as the Invitatory of Matins, and as the Introit and Gradual of The Mass.

They are the words which Moses addressed to the people of God when he told them of The Heavenly Manna, which they would receive on the morrow.

We. too, are expecting our Manna, our Jesus, The Bread of Life, Who is to be born in Bethlehem, which name means “The House of Bread”.

“The Liturgical Year”,

by Dom Prosper Guéranger, O.S.B.,

is available from

LORETO PUBLICATIONS

“Rejoice Greatly . . . Behold, Thy King Cometh Unto Thee”. A Peaceful Christmas Be Thine.

Found on flickr.com

Illustration: PINTEREST

Santa Claus' Sleigh Flying Over The City.

By masastarus. On Creative Market.

Found on d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net

[Editor: There appears to be six Reindeer missing.

There should, of course, be nine Reindeer.

Can you name them all ?

Answers at the foot of this Article.]

Illustration: PINTEREST

Illustration: PINTEREST

*CHRISTMAS PAST".

Susan Beatrice Pearse postcard.

Found on flickr.com

Illustration: PINTEREST

Found on animated-gifs.eu

Silent Night, Holy Night

Illustration: PINTEREST

"Away in a Manger"

Sung by Vera Lynn.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

Found on flickr.com

Illustration: PINTEREST

ANSWERS TO THE REINDEER NOMENCLATURE:

Dasher and Dancer;

Prancer and Vixen;

Comet and Cupid;

Donner and Blitzen.

Plus, of course, Rudolph,

The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

“Unto Us A Child Is Born . . .”

Illustration: PINTEREST

Christ. The Light Of The World.

"The Light Of The World".

(Manchester Art Gallery, England).

Date: March 1851.

Source: http://www.bg-blog.ru/comments.php?id=555.

Author: William Holman Hunt (1827–1910).

(Wikimedia Commons)

“My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord”.

This Article was taken (in December 2012) from ENLARGING THE HEART

Madonna Adoring The Child With Five Angels.

Artist: Sandro Botticelli.

Date: 1485 - 1490.

Source: [1]

Author: w:Botticelli

(Wikimedia Commons)

And Mary Said:

“Behold The Handmaid Of The Lord”.

(Luke 1:38) . . .

If a handmaid is she, who, with intent and with complete attention, beholds her Lord, then, again, The Most-Holy Virgin is the first among The Handmaids of The Lord.

[. . .] She did not care to please the World, but only God; nor did she care to justify herself before the World, but only before God. She herself is obedience; she herself is service; she herself is meekness.

The Most-Holy Virgin could in truth say to the Angel of God: "Behold The Handmaid of The Lord".

The greatest perfection, and the greatest honour that a woman can attain on Earth, is to be a handmaid of The Lord. Eve lost this perfection and honour in Paradise without effort, and The Virgin Mary achieved this perfection and this honour outside Paradise with her efforts.

“My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord”.

(Luke 1:46).

Brethren, we have in total only a few words spoken by The Most-Holy Theotokos recorded in the Gospels.

All of her words pertain to The Magnification of God. She was silent before men, but her Soul conversed unceasingly with God. Every day and every hour, she found a new reason and incentive to Magnify God.

If only we were able to know and to record all her Magnifications of God throughout her whole life, oh, how many books would it take !

But, even by this one Magnification, which she spoke before her kinswoman, Elizabeth, the mother of the great Prophet and Forerunner, John, every Christian can evaluate what a fragrant and God-Pleasing Flower was her Most Holy Soul.

This is but one wonderful Canticle of The Soul of The Theotokos, which has come down to us through the Gospel. However, such Canticles were without number in the course of the life of The Most-Blessed One.

Even before she heard the Gospel from the lips of her Son, she knew how to speak with God and to glorify Him in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel.

This knowledge came to her from The Holy Spirit of God, whose Grace constantly poured into her, like clear water into a pure vessel.

Her Soul Magnified God with Canticles throughout her whole life, and therefore God Magnified her above The Cherubim and The Seraphim.

Likewise, small and sinful as we are, the same Lord will Magnify, in His Kingdom, us, who Magnify her, if we exert ourselves to fill this brief life with the Magnification of God in our deeds, words, thoughts, and Prayers.

O Most-Holy, Most-Pure and Most-Blessed Theotokos, cover us with The Wings of Thy Prayers.

Nikolai Velimirovich (1880-1956; Orthodox Church):

Prologue from Ohrid, December 26th and 27th OS.

Vigil. The Nativity Of Our Lord. 24 December.

Text is from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless stated otherwise.

The Vigil Of The Nativity Of Our Lord.
   24 December.

Indulgence of 15 Years and 15 Quarantines.

Double (from Lauds, onward).

Privilege of The First-Class.

Violet Vestments.

The Angels Announcing Christ's Birth To The Shepherds.

Artist: Govert Flinck (1615–1660).

Date: 1639.

Collection: Louvre Museum, Paris, France.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Vigil of Christmas is impregnated with Holy Cheerfulness, and, if it were not for the Vestments of Penance and Fasting [Editor: Violet Vestments] one would imagine that The Feast had begun.

The Church joyfully awaits the twofold Coming of her Redeemer (Collect), Who "saves His people from their sins" (Gospel) and Who is The Shepherd of Israel (Gradual), that is The Church, of whom all are Members who have Faith in Jesus Christ.

Thus, Isaias foretells that "all flesh shall see The Salvation of God" and Saint Paul adds that he has been chosen to be The Apostle of The Gospel, "for obedience to The Faith in all Nations for His Name."

With the help of today's Mass, we may prepare to Celebrate the anniversary of "The Adorable Birthday" of The Only-Begotten Son of God (Secret and Postcommunion), The Son of David, Whom the spouse of Joseph brought into the World (Gospel) and Who, "born as man" according to the seed of David, has, by His Resurrection, proved, beyond all question, that He was God (Epistle).

Since this Resurrection was, for Christ, the prelude to His Glorious Reign, for us, it is the pledge of our own glorification and resurrection at The End of Time; thus, today's Liturgy prepares us for The Second Coming of Our Lord. "Today", the Introit and the Gradual say, "you shall know that The Lord will come and save us; and, in the morning, you shall see His Glory." "Sanctify yourselves and be ye ready," says The First Response at Matins, "for tomorrow, you shall see The Son of God in your midst."

By these two days, today and tomorrow," explains Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, "are meant that of the present life, which is short and gloomy, and that of Eternity amidst the splendours of The Saints. Our learning here below consists in remembering that The Lord is coming; and it is The First Coming of The Son of God which enlightens us about His Second Coming. It calls forth contrition, blazes forth in correction, shines through our zeal and renews us within and without.

Meditate on the marvels of The Lord's Mercy vouchsafed in His Incarnation, that, when the last morning dawns, we may contemplate those of His Glory.

"Tomorrow", says the Alleluia,"shall the iniquity of the Earth be abolished; and The Saviour of the World shall reign over us." Almighty God, The Creator of all things," adds the Psalmist, "is, indeed, The King of Glory, having snatched man from the power of Satan, receives him into His Heavenly Jerusalem [Editor: Versicle of Intercession, Offertory]. "Then shall The Glory of The Lord be manifested" (Communion).

Let us, therefore, prepare ourselves "with Holy Joy, Celebrating The Coming of The Only-Begotten Son of God, Who comes as Redeemer at Christmas, in order that we may be able to contemplate Him with assurance, when He shall come as Judge at The End of The World" (Collect).

The Introit passage is from Exodus and refers to Moses' promise to the Hebrews, concerning The Manna from Heaven, and The Liturgy applies it to Our Lord, Who is The True Bread from On High.

"The Church," says Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, "inspired by Almighty God, has put these words in today's Office whence they acquire a strength of meaning corresponding to the distance between symbol and reality and between light and shade."

"It was all the more fitting," says Saint Gregory,, "that The Lord should have been born at Bethlehem, since Bethlehem means "House of Bread"; for it was He Who said "I am The Living Bread, Which came down from Heaven"."

"The place, where The Lord was born, was, of old, called "House of Bread", because it was there that He was to appear in the flesh, Who, one day, would interiorly satiate the Souls of His Elect" (Matins),

Mass: Hodie sciétis.

Collect: Deus, qui nos redemptionis. This is the only Collect said, unless The Vigil falls on The Fourth Sunday of Advent: In which case, a Commemoration (Collect) is made of that Sunday.

Creed: Is said if The Vigil falls on a Sunday.

Preface: The Common Preface.

Preface: Of The Most Holy Trinity, if The Vigil falls on a Sunday.

"My Favourite Time Of Year". The Florin Street Band.

"My Favourite Time Of Year".

The Florin Street Band.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

Missa Cantata In Honour Of The Holy Abbots.

Illustration: A CHAPLAIN ABROAD

Missa Cantata In Honour Of The Holy Abbots.

This Feast is particularly Benedictine.

The Texts of The Mass, and The Musical Setting,

exist only for this Mass.

We do not know the last time that this Mass was Sung.

But, it is our privilege to be able to Celebrate it again.

Saturday, 7 December 2019, saw the Celebration

of a very particular Mass in The Shrine at Glastonbury.

It was in honour of The Benedictine Abbots,

Richard Whiting, Hugh Faringdon, John Beche,

together with the four Benedictine Martyrs, 

including two from our own Monastery at Glastonbury,

Richard James and John Thorne.

You can see pictures and a longer account of this Holy Mass

on The Community Web-Site, HERE.

This Article is taken from, and can be read in full at,

A CHAPLAIN ABROAD

The Seventh Great O Antiphon. 23 December.

Text from "The Liturgical Year",
by Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.

"The Annunciation".

Artist: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).

Date: First half of the 17th-Century.

Source/Photographer: Web Gallery of Art

Current location: Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Author: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Church sings this Antiphon

in today's Office of Lauds:

Ecce completa sunt omnia quæ dicta

sunt per angelum, de Virgine Maria.

Lo !, all things are accomplished

that were said by the Angel,

of The Virgin Mary.

SEVENTH GREAT O ANTIPHON.

O Emmanuel,

Rex et legifer noster,

exspectatio Gentium,

et Salvator earum:

veni ad salvandum nos,

Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel,

Our King and Lawgiver,

The Expected of the Nations

and their Saviour,

come to save us,

O Lord our God.

O Emmanuel !, King of Peace !, Thou enterest today the City of Thy predilection, the City in which Thou hast placed Thy temple - Jerusalem.

A few years hence, the same City will give Thee Thy Cross and Thy Sepulchre: Nay, the day will come on which Thou wilt set up Thy Judgement-Seat within sight of her walls. But, today, Thou enterest the City of David and Solomon unnoticed and unknown.

It lies on Thy road to Bethlehem [Editor: In Hebrew, Bethlehem means "House of Bread"]. The Blessed Mother and Joseph, her spouse, would not lose the opportunity of visiting the temple, there to offer to The Lord their Prayers and Adoration.

They enter; and then, for the first time, is accomplished the Prophecy of Aggeus, that great shall be the glory of this last house more than of the first; for this second temple has now standing within it an Ark of The Covenant more precious than was that which Moses built; and within this Ark, which is Mary, is contained the God whose presence makes her the holiest of Sanctuaries.

The Lawgiver, Himself, is in this Blessed Ark, and not merely, as in that of old, the tablet of stone on which The Law was graven. The visit paid, our living Ark descends the steps of the temple, and sets out once more for Bethlehem, where other Prophecies are to be fulfilled.

We Adore Thee, O Emmanuel !, in this Thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith Thou fulfillest all that the Prophets have written of Thee; for Thou wouldst give to Thy people the certainty of Thy being The Messias, by showing them that all the marks, whereby He was to be known, are to be found in Thee.

And now; the hour is near; all is ready for Thy birth; come, then, and save us; come, that Thou mayst not only be called our Emmanuel, but our Jesus, that is, He that saves us.

THE GREAT ANTIPHON TO JERUSALEM.

O Hierusalem !,

civitas Dei sumi,

leva in circuitu oculos tuos;

et vide Dominum tuum,

quia jam veniet solvere

te a vinculis.

O Jerusalem !,

City of The Great God:

Lift up thine eyes round about,

and see thy Lord,

for He is coming to loose

thee from thy chains.

Lo ! All Things Are Accomplished That Were Said By The Angel Of The Virgin Mary. The Antiphon At Lauds.

Text is from "The Liturgical Year",
by Dom Guéranger, O.S.B.
   Volume 1;
   Advent.
   23 December.

O Emmanuel ! King of Peace ! Thou enterest today The City of Thy predilection, the City in which Thou hast placed Thy Temple - Jerusalem. A few years hence, the same City will give Thee Thy Cross and Thy Sepulchre; nay, the day will come on which Thou wilt set up Thy Judgement-Seat within sight of her walls.

But today Thou enterest The City of David and Solomon unnoticed and unknown. It lies on Thy road to Bethlehem. Thy Blessed Mother and Joseph, her spouse, would not lose the opportunity of visiting the Temple, there to offer to The Lord their Prayers and Adoration.

They enter; and then, for the first time, is accomplished the Prophecy of Aggeus, that great shall be the glory of this last House more than of the first; for this second Temple has now, standing within it, an Ark of The Covenant more precious than was that which Moses built; and within this Ark, which is Mary, is contained the God Whose presence makes her The Holiest of Sanctuaries.

The Lawgiver, Himself, is in this Blessed Ark, and not merely, as in that of Old, the Tablet of Stone on which The Law was graven. The visit paid, our Living Ark descends the steps of the Temple, and sets out once more for Bethlehem, where other Prophecies are to be fulfilled.

We adore Thee, O Emmanuel ! in this Thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith Thou fulfillest all that the Prophets have written of Thee; for Thou wouldst give to Thy people the certainty of Thy being the Messias, by showing them that all the marks, whereby He was to be known, are to be found in Thee.

And, now, the hour is near; all is ready for Thy Birth; come, then, and save us; come, that Thou mayst not only be called our Emmanuel, but Our Jesus, that is, He that saves us.

Ero cras !

" Tomorrow, I Will Be ! "